Beak trimming device for poultry



Sept: 18, 1 945. R p BARTON I 2,384,875

BEAK TRIMMING DEVICE FOR POULTRY Filed April 3, 1944 R. P BariqnPatented Sept. 18, 1945 OFFICE- I BEAK TBIMMING DEVICE FoR POULTRY 7Robert Paul Barton, Escalon, Calif. Application April 3, 1944, SerialNo. 529,385 9 Claims. (01. 12s-30s.10)

This invention is directed in general to a device especially designedfor use by poultry producers, and in particular the invention isdirected to, and it is an object to provide, a device operative to trimor cut away a predetermined portion of the point of theupper beak ofpoultry, whereby to prevent one fowl from pecking and injuring otherfowl, which injury by pecking is presently a serious problem on poultryfarms. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a beak trimming device,as above, which includes a cutting block against which thebeak is diseposed, and a vertically movable blade mounted to cooperate in beakcutting relation with the cutting block; the blade being electricallyheated in order to cauterize the beak at. the cut, and said blade beingadjustable relative to the cutting block so that the amount of beak tobe cut away can be varied. i

A further object of this invention is to provide a beak trimming devicefor poultry, which comprises an upstanding post, a vertically movableslide mounted on the upper end portion of the post, the slide supportinga laterally offset, downwardly facing beak cutting blade, a beaksupporting cutting block fixed in connection with the post forcooperation with the blade, and means to reciprocate the slide; theblade being electrically heated and adjustable lengthwise of saidcutting block.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a'perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device facing the blade.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the device looking edgewise ofthe blade.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawing, the device comprises a rigid upstanding post I supported at itslower end on a horizontal base 2. A vertically elongated tubular slide 3engages over the upper end portion of the post; th post preferably beingnon-circular in cross section and the slide matchingly engaging thesame, whereby said slide cannot rotate relative to the post.

On one side the tubular slide 3 includes a vertical web 4, which isconnected at its lower end by a clevis 5 with a depending rigidactuating rod 6. The lower end of the rod 6 is pivotally connected, asat l, to a foot lever B intermediate the ends of the latter. At itslower end the foot lever B is pivotally connected to base 2, as at 9,while the other end of lever B is fitted with a foot pedal I0.

A heavy-duty tension spring II connects between the lever 8 intermediateits ends and a suitable point on the post I thereabove, said springbeing operative to normally maintain the lever 8, and consequently therod 6 and slide 3, in a raised position. Some distance below the slide 3the post I is fitted with a collar I2 secured in place by means of a setscrew I3, said collar including a laterally projecting bracket I4. Thebracket I4 supports, in fixed relation, a rigid pedestal I5 which isformed at its upper end with a beak engaging cutting block, which isindicated generally at I6. The cutting block I6 is hollow, open at itsouter end, and includes a relatively thin sloping or diagonal top plateI1. The cutting block I6 is-normally disposed some distance below theupper end of tubular slide 3, and said upper end of the slide is formedwith an upwardly facing transverse cradle I8, in which a horizontal,transversely extending blade supporting body I9 is disposed; one end ofsaid body overhanging the cutting block I6. The body I9 is held againstescape from the cradle I 8 by means of a manually releasable screw clamp20 whose stem is vertically threaded through a boss 2| formed integrallywith an upper extension of web 4, and overhanging the cradle I8. Thebody I 9 is non-circular in cross section and is matchingly engagedbetween the cradle I8 and a body engaging head 20a on the screw clamp20, whereby to prevent rotation of said body. However, upon release ofscrew clamp 20 the body I9 is adjustable lengthwise to vary the extentof its overhang relative to the cutting block I6.

A beak trimming knife or blade 22 is fixed in face to face engagementwith and depends from the end of body I9 above cutting block IS; thecutting edge 23 of blad 22 being diagonal and parallel to th slopingplate I I of the cutting block. The body I9 includes a resistanceheater, indicated generally at 24-, to which electric current issupplied by a flexible cord 25. When the heater 24 is energized the heattherefrom is transmitted through the body to the blade 22. When theslide 3 is in raised position the blade 23 is disposed some distance inclearance relation above the top plat I! of the cutting block. To trimthe upper beak of a fowl, th upper and lower beaks are straddled overthe top plate I1 from the open end of cutting block Hi. Thereafter thefoot pedal I is depressed, causing the blade 23 to forcefully fall,trimming ofi an outer end portion of the upper beak of the fowl. As theblade 23 is heated the cut is immediately cauterized and the wound iseffectively sealed. By adjusting the position of body [9 axially, theamount of beak II] to be trimmed off can be regulated, as is evident.

The cutting block 1 6, together with the pedestal I5, is preferably madeof metal, such as copper, which dissipates heat rapidly, whereby thecutting block does not tend to heat up during use of the devic and fromengagement of the blade therewith. It is desirable that the cuttingblock be maintained as cool as possible, due to the fact that th upperand lower beaks of the fowl must straddl the top plate I! during thetrimming operation. i

With my improved beak trimming device, a portion of the-upper beak of afowl can be cut away quickly and with aminimum of pain to such fowl, andthe wound requires no subsequent attention, due to th cauterization asabove described. I

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While thisspecification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, stillin practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure fromthe spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.1- A beak trimming device for poultry, comprising means adapted tosupport the beak, a blade mounted for movement in cutting relation to asupported beak, and means to actuate the blade; said beak supportingmeans comprising a cutting block which is hollow and open at one end thecutting block having a top plate which the upper and lower beak of afowl is adapted to straddle from said open end of the block.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the blade is heated; and in which thecutting block is of a material which dissipates heat rapidly.

3. A beak trimming device for poultry, comprising an upstanding member;a laterally offset upwardly facing cutting block secured in connectionwith said member, a slide mounted on the member above the cutting block,a downwardly facing blade secured in connection withthe slide above andin cooperating relation to said cutting block, and means to actuate saidslide.

4. A beak trimming device for poultry, comprising an upstanding member,a laterally offset upwardly facing cutting block secured in connectionwith said member, a slide mounted on the member above the cutting block,a downwardly facing blade secured in connection with the slide above andin cooperating relation to said cutting block, and means to actuate saidslide; said actuating means including a foot pedal.

5. A beak trimming device for poultry, comprising an upstanding member,a laterally offset upwardly facing cutting block secured in connectionwith said member, a slide mounted on the member above the cutting block,a downwardly facing blade secured in connection with the slide above andin cooperating relation to said cutting block, and means to actuate saidslide; the blade securing means comprising an electrically heated bodymounted on the slide with one end overhanging the cutting block, theblade being secured to said body in face to face engagement with saidone end thereof.

6. A beak trimming device for poultry, comprising an upstanding post, aslide mounted on the post, a laterally offset, downwardly facing bladecarried by said slide, an upwardly facing cutting block mounted inconnection with the post in cooperating position below the blade, andmeans to actuate the slide.

7. A beak trimming device for poultry, comprising an upstanding post, aslide mounted on the post, a laterally offset, downwardly facingbladecarried by said slide, an upwardly facing cutting block mounted inconnection with the post in cooperating position below the blade, andmeans to actuate the slide; said acuating means comprising a foot lever,a connecting rod between the foot lever and slide, and a spring actingto raise the slide to a normal position with the blade clear of thecutting block.

8. A beak trimming device for poultry, comprising a post, a slide on thepost, a laterally oifset, upwardly racing cutting block mounted inconnection with the post below the slide, an electrically heated bodymounted on the slide and at one end overhanging the cutting block, saidbody being adjustable lengthwise, a downwardly facing blade mountedonthe body at said one end, the blade being heated from the body, andmeans to reciprocate the slide.

9. A beak trimming device for poultry, comprisinga fixed cutting block,and a blade mounted for movement to and from the working face of theblock; said block being hollow, open at one end, and said working facebeing formed by one side of a relatively thin plate which extends tosaid open end of the block.

ROBERT PAUL BARTON.

